I took the photo with no makeup on except for my Chanel 442 ultra hydrating lipstick.

The hair was applied using the TAAZ makeover tool via taaz.com. It’s an old Rihanna hairstyle. The eyelashes and eyebrows were done in Photoshop using Photoshop brushes and in Perfect365, which is another photo enhancing tool. The red lips were painted on over the Chanel using the TAAZ makeover tool. The eyeshadow was applied in Perfect365 and also with the TAAZ makeover tool. And of course the skin work was done in Photoshop and touched up using the TAAZ makeover tool. (Foundation, blush, concealer etc. all digitally applied)

If I was going out on a hot date tonight I might aspire for a similar look. Maybe not with the red lips makeup look though. And with my real hair, which is pretty short and ‘natural’ natural. Hair is interesting in the way it can change your appearance depending on the style and length. With my natural hair I will look a little different from this.

Speaking of changing your appearance…

I continue to be impressed with the Ole Henriksen products I’ve been using on my face. I didn’t have to do much work in Photoshop to prepare the picture for the digital makeup application. I can’t tell you how good it feels to see so much improvement in my skin. I can actually look at pictures of myself with no makeup on my face and not be horrified. And that says a lot.

I know, I should be able to look at pictures of myself with no makeup on and not be horrified no matter how I look. I should be able to leave the reaction of horror to other people. Let them look at me and think the bad thoughts while I look at myself and think only good thoughts.

But I’ll be honest with you. Sometimes I am completely horrified by what I see when I look in the mirror or when I take a picture of myself with my bare face. But lately, even while I still don’t look particularly pretty, my skin has looked so much better. And the improvement in my skin has made me feel so much more confident.

I know many of you won’t understand that kind of feeling where you just don’t want anyone to look at your face because you’re so self conscious about it; but it’s something I’ve lived with most of my life. Being self conscious about my looks, wanting to run and hide.

So I’m glad to have found products that are helping me to feel more confident by clearing up and repairing the skin on my face. I definitely recommend to anyone who has bad skin that they try to find products that help them correct what can be corrected. If you’re not beautiful you’re not beautiful. But that doesn’t mean you have to accept looking less than ‘your’ best. I think we live with flaws because we feel like we have to. Because people make us feel like we’re vain for wanting to look better than we do. But why should you accept things that you don’t have to live with? Blemishes are things that happen to your skin. Trying to restore your skin to its unblemished state isn’t like getting a nose job. Your nose is a natural part of you. Your blemishes aren’t. If you can get rid of them by all means get rid of them. You’ll look and feel so much better.